Love, or Death?
by HaveAHeart0301
Summary: She knew that he didn't love her, and yet, she married him. She knew that he was only after something that had once belonged to her father. She had turned him into a cruel monster, but what could she do now? Lucia/Soren, slight Geoffrey/Elincia. One-shot.


**Love...or Death?**

_A/N: Well, I felt bad about not updating my fics for some time, but when I was working, I came up with this instead. Hopefully it's not too bad. Anyway, I should thank Silvara for some help with characterization for this, though I did stray a bit from the original suggestions. Okay, well, enjoy (hopefully)! (The beginning scene is supposed to be a bit mysterious and un-descriptive, by the way.)_

_--_

"_The Book of Anima, Elder, and Holy Magics?" the sage muttered, more to himself than the man whom the book belonged to, as he carefully fingered the gold lettering on the cover._

_The other man shrugged. "Yeah, it was a treasure of my father's."_

"_Hm, really? So how would one go about acquiring this book?"_

"_It's been passed down through our family for centuries. Legend says that one of our ancestors found it in some ancient temple or something."_

"_I see. So does that mean that anyone in your family can have possession of it?"_

"_Not exactly. My father left the book and the rule of Delbray to Lucia. I suppose he figured that she'd get more use out of them, with me being a knight and all."_

_Soren grinned to himself as he stared at the object's dusty red cover. All he needed to do was get on Lucia's good side to get his hands on this treasure? That would be easy indeed._

_--_

It had been one of the easiest tasks he had ever been faced with. Simpler than getting her brother to tell him of the book even! He had slowly befriended the new countess, eventually pretending that he felt something more for her. He asked for her hand in marriage; she agreed. They were wed and he had become the count of Delbray. He gave her a child; she gave him her father's book. That was all there was to it.

He smiled to himself as he thought about how easily she was won over. Lucia was one that was famed for her intelligence, and yet, she couldn't see through his scheme.

He shook his head, silently scolding himself. He shouldn't be thinking about such silly things when there was so much to be done.

He picked his quill back up and violently jotted down a spell on his parchment. He stopped only to dip the tip in the case of ink next to the book. This book was incredible! It contained every spell from Wind to Rexcalibur, Fire to Rexflame, Thunder to Rexbolt, Light to Rexaura, and Worm to Balberith--all in one tome! It even included some rare spells--Queen Micaiah's Thani, Empress Sanaki's Cymbeline (though those two couldn't be used by common magical users), a spell to enhance the effectiveness of a weapon, and a recipe for a petty love potion, among other things.

Soren needed to copy all of these down before he would allow himself to rest--after all, so many spells in one book could come in handy during large battles.

There were downsides to the book, however. For example, the spells had very little endurance and couldn't be used many times over and over. It seemed to him that no one had actually used the spells from the book, or the book itself, much, since the pages were all still intact and the spells still readable.

He was actually amazed by some of the things the object could do--certain spells could be combined to boost effectiveness--though that took _a lot_ out of the user. The back contained a list of ingredients for all sorts of potions (vulneraries, elixirs, antitoxins, the dreaded love potion, et cetera). It even included locations where different elements were commonly found--laguz stones and gems, herbs, spirit dust, statue frags, master crowns and seals, dracoshields, arms scrolls, Satori signs, energy drops, speedwings--everything! Directly after the various spells were scrolls for multiple different skills.

Soren was so absorbed in copying the pages that he never noticed the door to the room he had secluded himself in opened. He growled as he felt someone tug on the bottom of his robe.

Looking down, he was met by her mass of curly black hair. She looked up at him with the same blood-red eyes that he possessed. Despite the glare he sent towards her, she smiled and climbed up on his lap, laying a paper on top of his freshly-inked parchment.

"Gah, look what you've done!"

"I-I'm sorry...I just wanted to show you the picture I drew for you..."

He was annoyed to find that she has those same stupid, pleading eyes her mother had when she'd upset him. The man glanced over at the sheet of paper that had just ruined all of his hard work. Two stick figures were drawn on it--one he assumed was himself, the other, his daughter.

"I drew you and me spending time together. There's your brand, see?"

He followed her tiny finger to the red scribble on the page. Sure enough, it was his brand...

"Get out."

"W-What?"

He could see that she was on the verge of crying, but he didn't care. He had more important things to worry about.

"I said, get out!"

"B-But, Daddy! I love you! Don't you love me?"

He could only stare at the girl. Who was she to actually ask him such a thing? And why was she wasting so much of his time? Didn't she know that there were more important things than cutsie little drawings? He sighed.

"Lucia! Come get your daughter!"

The little girl cried and grabbed a hold of his robes upon hearing those words. All she wanted was to spend time with him; to please him and make him proud, but he couldn't see that. He almost felt sorry for the pathetic creature...

_No, Soren, she has Lucia. She doesn't need you._

Speaking of Lucia, he was glad when she finally appeared in the doorway. Alana rushed over to her mother, who bent down to kiss the top of her daughter's head. She whispered something in the girl's ear before she ran out of the room, still in tears. The swordswoman stood up to face her husband.

"She's your daughter too, you know."

Her eyes were nearly as cold as his.

"I know that," he spat at her.

"Really?"

She raised her eyebrow, as if in disbelief.

"That's what you've told me anyway."

He didn't know why he felt the need to make her so mad, to irritate her like this. He supposed his upbringing was to blame, but that really wasn't an excuse.

"She _is_ your child, Soren."

He knew it was the truth--she looked exactly like him, save the brand on his forehead. He couldn't understand why the girl was lucky enough to not be cursed by the mark. It just wasn't fair...

"So she is, but can you believe that she actually had the nerve to tell me that I don't love her?"

"_Do_ you love her?"

"What kind of a question is _that_?"

"One I've been wondering since she was born. Soren, you never spend time with her, you never tell her that you're proud of her. Have you ever even held her?"

"Of course I have! I was just holding her, wasn't I?"

"Soren, that's not... Dear Ashera, you're an impossible man!"

She turned to walk out the door, but he wasn't finished with her. He couldn't just allow her to leave after insulting him like this. He honestly did care for her, he didn't want her to be angry, but...

"Where do you think you're going?"

She stopped for a second, but didn't turn around. Soren thought he could almost sense that she was crying.

"To tell our child about how you're incapable of love."

He stared at her as she rushed out of the room, most likely in tears.

_Incapable of love? Please!_

He snatched up the paper Alana had left on his desk and crumpled it up in a ball, throwing it on the floor.

--

Lucia sat down on the bed beside her daughter and ran her fingers through the little girl's hair. She was already fast asleep, but her mother could still see the pain and loneliness she felt. Why did Soren have to be so harsh towards her?

To be honest, she didn't care whether or not her own husband loved her. She had known that he hadn't when she'd agreed to be his bride. Marrying him had been a foolish act on her part--she knew that. She knew his true intentions, but she thought that maybe... No, she had known how they both felt for each other at the time, and neither one of them had been in love.

She had finally given into the pressures that had been placed upon her by the other nobles. Everyone had said that a lone girl was too weak to rule over Delbray--surely she must need a husband! Her move was very uncharacteristic of her--everyone could see that. She knew she wasn't weak, and yet...

She supposed that part of her decision was based on her father. The former count's final wish was for his daughter to marry--for her to have someone to make her happy.

Things hadn't worked out between her and Bastian. He had loved her too much, and she just couldn't take it--she couldn't possibly return his love to such an extent. She had felt unworthy of him and they had parted ways. Soren had been there for her with his fake friendship and later courtship.

She had always been able to see through the odd sugar-coating of his words but assumed he was just trying to make her feel better.

Her second mistake was giving her father's book to him. She had figured that maybe if she gave him the object which he desired, he would be more grateful.

She, honestly, never should have done that. She had seen what the book had done to her father and heard tales about what had happened to those before him. They became obsessed with the object. That obsession turned them bitter and violent as life was sucked from their veins. It wasn't Soren's fault that he acted as he did; it was the fault of that ancient book.

It seemed that the book had different effects on men than on women. Lucia had actually used the book herself on certain occasions--but mainly for potions. She wouldn't dare use the spells again. Not after what had happened all those years ago...

Women that possessed the heirloom had always remained youthful on the outside, but on the inside the life was drained from them. Men in her family had always had different wives throughout their life, as their others had passed from using the book in folly. Men were turned into monsters. Many killed their children or spouses.

Her father had vowed not to use the book for the sake of his family. Growing up, neither she nor Geoffrey had been permitted to touch the object, and it was kept a secret from the princess. It wasn't until she was eighteen that her father educated her in the ways of the book.

He had never cast spells from it himself, but the technique ran in their blood.

She had learned that only members of the Delbray heritage and some very skilled sages could cast spells directly out of the book or make the potions correctly. The sage couldn't use the scrolls or find the objects--that was for them alone.

She had mainly worked in brewing--concocting elixirs and pure waters, for the most part. She had even slipped a vial of the love potion into her brother's drink to make him fall madly in love with Princess Elincia. Naturally, she had been scolded for that one, but she thought that it was worth it to see her brother become tongue-tied and clumsy around the then-princess.

Her father had informed her that it was time to work in the spell department. Neither of them had touched the book directly, using gloves as a protective covering.

She had mastered all of the simpler spells first--Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Light (never touching in the Elder magics, as her father didn't see that as fit). As she wasn't a magic-user, the spells weren't very effective, but still useful. She had worked her way up into the higher levels of holy magic, preferring blinding light over its anima counterparts.

It was on a day that she was practicing Shine when a particular incident happened. She had missed her target due to being half-asleep and her father had snatched the tome from her hands. He had previously taken off his gloves and was instantly affected.

She could see the madness in his eyes as they glowed a bright yellow color, staring her down. She had taken the book back out of fear. Her father had collapsed out in the forest. Bastian and Elincia had been able to help him regain consciousness later on, but Lucia vowed to never use the book's spells again and once more picked up the sword that Prince Renning had taught her to use years before.

But, upon her father's death, she was given the book once again. It only made sense, she guessed. Geoffrey didn't know how to use it. He didn't know the truth behind it. She was the only one left in the family who knew.

It had sat on a shelf in her room for years, collecting dust. Then Soren came along and she just gave it to him. She knew that he was powerful enough to harness its powers. She knew what would happen to him, and yet, she never told him of this.

Now it was because of her that he acted as he did. She was to blame for the way he treated Alana; for their daughter's unhappiness.

Alana was her third mistake. Not a mistake really, but she shouldn't have... Lucia had wanted a child so badly, even if she knew that it wasn't a good idea. Perhaps, she thought, Soren would change with the help of a child. Yeah right. It hadn't changed anyone before, now had it? If anything, it only made things worse.

He hadn't been excited when she told him she was pregnant. He was indifferent, emotionless. It was Geoffrey who had been there for her during her pregnancy. It was Count Bastian that cared for her when she was ill; Duke Renning had watched over Alana to make sure she was safe. Soren was never there. He was always locked in the library or some other room, making copies of that book.

But she couldn't blame anyone but herself. She had allowed this to happen to her husband. She had made her daughter's life miserable.

--

"Momma! Uncle Geoffrey's here! Uncle Geoffrey's here!"

Lucia sighed as her child jumped up and down in the doorway of her bedchamber the next morning. The woman quickly smoothed out all the creases in the lavender bedspread she had just laid on the mattress.

"Okay, okay. Quit acting so wild or you might give him a heart attack!"

"Who might give me a heart attack? Surely you can't mean sweet little Alana!" Geoffrey exclaimed as he appeared in the doorway, picking his niece up in his arms. The little girl squealed as she threw her arms around his neck and he ruffled her hair.

Lucia couldn't help but smile at the happiness the commander of Crimea's Royal Knights brought to them. If anyone could make them grin at the dullest moments, it was her younger brother.

"Well now, Sister, aren't you glad to see me?"

"Of course I am!" She playfully rolled her eyes as she walked over to hug the man. Kissing him on the cheek, she continued, "Anyway, you're just in time for dinner."

Geoffrey glanced at the little girl in his arms as his sister walked past him. Once she was out of the door and disappeared down the hallway, Alana giggled.

"Don't worry, she didn't make it herself. The cook finished it before he left."

"Good, it's edible then."

Geoffrey laughed. Even his sister's child knew Lucia couldn't cook to save her life.

--

It wasn't until after their meal that the two siblings were able to talk to one another in private. Geoffrey sat on his sister's bed as the woman lit a few candles around the room to give off some light, as the night sky has enveloped Delbray quite some time ago. She paused at the window for a moment to take in the starry blackness.

Something about the sight of it and the cool night breeze always seemed to calm her. When she was annoyed with her husband--which was quite often--or just tired of life as it was, she could always let the darkness overcome her and take her to a world unlike any other.

Remembering that her brother was still there, Lucia set the candlestick back in its holder and laid down on the bed beside Geoffrey, resting her head in his lap. He stroked her hair for a few minutes as they sat in silence. Finally, he sighed.

"Sister, why wasn't Soren at dinner?"

She shrugged. "Soren...busy."

Her brother could sense the sadness in her words. He rolled her over to look at her face and was barely able to suppress a gasp when he saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Lucia had always been the strong one, she...never...cried. What had Soren done to upset her like this?

"Lucia, what's wrong?"

She quickly used the back of her hand to wipe her tears away.

"It...It's nothing."

"Now, I know better than that. Sister, please tell me...I hate to see you like this." Receiving no reply, he resumed running his fingers through her hair. "It's Soren, isn't it?"

She sniffled. "Yes..."

"Lucia," he gave her a concerned glance before asking her a question that was eating at him. "Has Soren ever hurt you?"

His sister rolled over and buried her face in his lap. This action instantly worried the commander. If the woman didn't even want to face him, did that mean...her husband _had_ harmed her?

"Lucia?" He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Physically, no, he hasn't. But..."

"But? He hasn't...he hasn't abused Alana, has he?"

"N-No! He would never... He won't even acknowledge her existence half the time..."

Her words shocked the man. If Soren actually treated them like this, then why...? He couldn't even begin to grasp how Lucia felt. He was happily married to Queen Elincia; he was the king of Crimea, the commander of the Royal Knights. But his sister, her marriage was falling apart, her husband shut everyone out of his life; his sister was miserable!

"If that is the case, if Soren acts this way all the time, why don't you leave? Elincia and I wouldn't think any less of you. We would support you if you decided--"

The swordswoman shot up from her place on the bed and glared at her brother. He had no right to even suggest any of this. He didn't know what was happening. He didn't know what she had done.

"Geoffrey, it isn't that simple. I-I did this to him! I can't just leave him like this..."

Her brother stood up and placed his hand on her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. He hadn't a clue what she was talking about, but he trusted her decision. That, and the fact that tears were now pouring down her face, made him realize his mistake.

"Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. It's getting late, you should get some rest. I'll put Alana to bed for you, okay?"

"Y-Yes, thank you."

Geoffrey kissed his sister's forehead before walking towards the door of the woman's bedchamber. He stopped in the doorway and, without turning around, sighed.

"Are you happy?"

"As long as I have Alana, I'll always be happy."

"Does Soren make you happy, I mean."

"Honestly, no..."

It was the truth. Soren didn't love her. In all honesty, he wasn't her first choice for a husband. But she was the one that had turned him into the monster he had become. It was her duty to care for and protect him. She owed that much to him and she couldn't let him down. Not now.

Her brother gave no reply, aside from a heavy sigh, before disappearing down the hallway.

--

"Okay, are we all ready for bed now?"

Alana, in her little rose-colored nightdress, holding a plush puppy, nodded and climbed up on her bed. Her uncle walked over and tucked the girl in. under the soft yellow covers. He then sat down next to her and was mesmerized by her deep red eyes.

For some reason, this was actually the first time he'd noticed how much she resembles Soren. In fact, about the only resemblance she had to Lucia was that pouty look the countess had had when she was younger. That look of innocent sweetness was wiped from Lucia's face the day Renning had put a sword in her hands.

It had been years since that day. Perhaps twenty-two? Yes, it had been that long. The duke had taught her the blade even before she had graduated from grade school. It had been thirteen years since the Mad King's War, nearly ten since the restoration of Ashunera.

Now in her thirties, Lucia had become a very skilled sword-wielder. She had a husband and a child, she was the countess of Delbray--shouldn't she be happy? But with that vanished look of innocence, her smile, too, had faded. She was no longer that playful, fun-loving girl he'd known growing up.

Being so lost in thought, it was awhile before he realized that Alana kept repeating his name.

"Hm?"

"Uncle Geoffrey, will you tell me a story?"

He sighed. He wasn't one much for childish fairytales, as he was more accustomed to brutal slayings in wartime, but he couldn't say no to his niece--not when she was giving him that look again. But what could he tell her about? Surely a story about war would only scare the child...but what else did he know?

"What do your mommy and daddy tell you stories about?"

"Momma tells me stories about you two and the queen growing up...and unicorns. I really like unicorns. Daddy..." Her expression instantly turned solemn as she trailed off. "Daddy doesn't tell me stories. Says he's too busy for such petty things. Say, Uncle Geoffrey, what's petty mean?"

The man hadn't even heard the little girl's question. Was it actually true that Soren didn't spend _any_ time with his own child? Maybe he just didn't like telling stories...

"What do you and your daddy do together then?"

"Nothin'. He just yells at me. Yesterday I even drew him a picture and he told Momma to come get me 'cause I was bugging him."

That couldn't be... Why had Soren turned into such a cruel man? He hadn't always been like this, had he? No, Geoffrey had actually approved of his sister's marriage to the Arch Sage. He'd believed that it would be best for her--to have someone there for her after the passing of their father. The two were wed eight years ago, surely they couldn't have always been this far apart from each other...

Now that the man thought about it, it sounded exactly like the stories Duke Renning had told him of his marriage years ago. After their daughter was born, the duke and his wife were always arguing. He had always spent too much time training recruits and not enough with his family.

One day when the couple was arguing, a servant was left to watch their child. The girl had gotten too close to the edge of the creek when the servant wasn't watching. She had slipped in and drowned. Renning's wife had left him, and the man had never forgiven himself, even to this day.

No, Geoffrey couldn't let that happen to Alana...he couldn't let any harm befall her. Maybe he could have Lord Renning speak with Soren...then he and Lucia could work things out. His sister could be happy again. Alana could have her father there for her.

"Uncle Geoffrey?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You can tell me the story some other time. I'm really," she stopped to yawn. "...Tired."

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, I'll see you later then. Good night, Alana."

"I love you, Uncle Geoffrey."

"I love you too, honey."

He lightly kissed her forehead before standing up. Before he even reached the door, he could hear her snoring softly.

--

Geoffrey nodded to the hall guard he passed as he made his way to the main entrance of his sister's home. He was about to turn the corner when he noticed a light flickering through a small crack of one of the doors.

Pushing the door open a little more, he saw a figure scribbling away at the desk in the corner. Moving closer, he recognized the man as Soren, thanks to the illuminating glow of the torch set a few paces away from the writing desk.

He took care not to step on any of the papers strewn about the stone floor. He was almost directly behind the sage now, and the man still hadn't given any acknowledgement that he knew the general was there. As he stepped in front of the torch, Soren sighed.

"Lucia, could you move? You're blocking the light."

"Soren."

"Oh, Geoffrey..." He still didn't turn around to look at his brother-in-law. Instead, he dipped his quill in the ink and continued to copy words from a book.

Glancing at it, Geoffrey noted that it was his father's old book. He should have known that Soren, being a skilled magic-wielder and all, would take interest in the heirloom. In fact, he had taken particular interest in it when he had seen it on the general's desk some years before he married Lucia. Wait, that couldn't mean...

"Soren?"

"Geoffrey, can't you see that I'm busy?" The azure-haired knight could, in fact, pick up on the man's irritated tone.

"It will only take a moment. You can keep writing if you'd like."

"Fine, go ahead."

"Soren, why did you marry my sister? Was it because of this book?"

Had the raven-haired mage been facing him, he would have seen Geoffrey gesture at the magical book and then finger the lance that he had grabbed after leaving Alana's room.

"To be frank, yes."

He had seen that coming, and yet, he was still a little shocked.

"And what of Alana?"

"That brat? Lucia wanted a kid, not me. I thought it'd get her to shut up and leave me alone for once, but noooo. Now she and that nuisance are both in here to annoy me."

"You know, Soren, I really didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me with no choice."

The other man didn't pay any attention to the graveness of his words and tone.

"Oh, Geoffrey, what are you talking about?"

"Former tactician of the honorable Greil Mercenaries, the choice is yours..."

Soren was spun around in his chair to find the tip of Geoffrey's lance pointed at his throat. The man's arm was steady, his intentions clear. It was fairly obvious that he wasn't joking around about this.

"Respect my sister, love her and your child, or I will step in. It's your decision:

"Love Lucia... or die."

--

_A/N: Yes, that's the end! Ha, so what'd you think? I still haven't figured out how I feel about it, which is odd. I do like the ending though._

_Anyway, it's OAT week... :( Eh, it's not that bad, I guess. But add to that the fact that my English teacher just had her baby (Tristan) and is off until the day before my birthday, and, well, you have me freaking out..._

_Okay, that's it!_


End file.
